MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5, 2004 REGULAR MEETING OF THE HUMBOLDT CITY COUNCIL

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1 MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 5, 2004 REGULAR MEETING OF THE HUMBOLDT CITY COUNCIL The Humboldt City Council met in regular session Monday, January 5, 2004 in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building. Mayor Steven N. Samuels called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM. Council Members present: Jorgensen, Sleiter, Jensen, Rusher and Entgelmeier. Others in attendance during portions of the meeting: Gary Moritz, Cheryl Rhead, Terry Case, Jeff Deahr, Ryan Ersland, Eric Sime, Bill Merris, Alan Pedersen, Randy Arends, Mike Worthington, Jim Gargano, Ed Allen, Elaine Mason, Scott Mason, David Boswell, Larry Curran, Gary Ebeling, Jim Crabtree, Todd Treganza, David Hundertmark, Tom Hundertmark, Dean Kruger, Curt Martin, Joe Hassett, Jon Reed, Jeff Gargano, John Wickre and Brian Motley. Motion by Entgelmeier, Second by Jensen to approve the agenda as printed. (5) ayes, motion carried. Motion by Rusher, Second by Sleiter to approve the minutes of the December 15, 2003 regular Council Meeting. (5) ayes, motion carried. Motion by Jensen, Second by Jorgensen to approve the claims for December (5) ayes, motion carried. Motion by Entgelmeier, Second by Jorgensen to approve the Treasurer s Monthly Report and the Treasurer s Monthly Investment Report. (5) ayes, motion carried. The Council reviewed the Iowa League of Cities Legislative Bulletin. The City Administrator reviewed the Sumner Avenue project to be completed during the summer of He stated that the street, curb and gutter, water, storm sewer and traffic signals were already planned and the streetscaping issues would need to be finalized this evening. He reviewed the estimated costs for decorative lighting, colored concrete, and colored asphalt, which were estimated at $156,125 - $254,840 total additional to the $2.3 million project. He also reviewed photos taken in Cherokee of their streetscaping project recently completed. To fund the streetscaping items, the City Administrator outlined the following resources that could be used: the City has received an additional $33,000 in Local Option Sales Tax money from the State of Iowa; a grant has been applied for in the amount of $125,000 for the traffic signals; the 9 th Street intersection has been eliminated at a savings of $150,000 - $175,000; and the water line assessment would save $60,000 to the project total. These resources would provide $368,000 - $393,000 to fund the streetscaping items. Gary Moritz, representing the Downtown Revitalization Committee, read a statement of support for the streetscaping project. Council Member Jensen stated that he would like the streetscaping to be added to the project bid as an alternate to the bid. 1

2 City Engineer Curt Martin stated that the City has two options. One would be as an alternate add-on and the other would be to leave the streetscaping in the bid document, but to write the specs in the best interest of the City to allow the City to remove that portion of the bid from any bid received. Motion by Jensen, Second by Jorgensen to direct the City Engineer to draft the bid specifications written as best interest of the City to include streetscape items as a line to bid. (5) ayes, motion carried. The Council then discussed the water service line replacement that will require the property owners to replace the water service line to their property during the Sumner Avenue project. The City Administrator has met with downtown property owners and asked the Council to consider the City picking up any additional costs beyond $1,200 per property owner. The Council heard comments, questions and concerns from members of the public in attendance pertaining to the Sumner Avenue project. Motion by Sleiter, Second by Jorgensen to set a $1,200 maximum to property owners for water line replacement with the City covering any additional costs above and beyond that total. (5) ayes, motion carried. The Council then reviewed information provided to them outlining different costs to the City for employee wages for the Fiscal Year Variations were given detailing a 2.4% raise as the Police Union had recently been approved for and also a $0.37 per hour raise for all employees. Council Member Entgelmeier stated he would like to have the raise be an hourly rate increase versus a percentage. Council Member Sleiter questioned the status of the Personnel Services Evaluation being performed by Kuehl and Payer. The City Administrator stated that the evaluation is not yet done and would not be done in time for FY 2005 wages to be set. The Council tabled any action on the matter until the Council s next regular Council meeting. Motion by Entgelmeier, Second by Jensen to approve the plans and specifications for the Police Department squad car servicing, direct the City Clerk to publish the Notice to Bidders and set Monday, January 19, 2004 at 5:40 PM as the date and time for a public hearing to review bids received. (5) ayes, motion carried. Motion by Rusher, Second by Sleiter to designate the Humboldt Independent Newspaper as the City of Humboldt s official newspaper. (5) ayes, motion carried. The City Administrator reviewed a request from Dave Hundertmark for the City to install water and sewer lines to his recently purchased property located south of Red Power on the west side of Highway 169 north. There are no water or sewer lines in the area and the nearest lines are located on 16 th Avenue North on the east side of Highway 169. Engineer s estimates are $80,000 for the sewer lines and $130,000 for the water lines. Tax Increment Financing would be used to pay for the project. The City Clerk stated that with current TIF 2

3 debt retiring adding an additional $210,000 of TIF debt to the City s Northside Urban Renewal Area would not have a negative impact upon any of the taxing entities. The Council members stated that a request had been made several years earlier to install a water line in the same area which was denied. With that information, Council Members Jensen and Rusher stated that they would be in favor of the City completing the sewer line installation only with TIF funds. Council Member Sleiter stated he would be in favor of installing both water and sewer lines. Motion by Jensen, Second by Entgelmeier to install a sewer line to the Dave Hundertmark property using Tax Increment Financing. (5) ayes, motion carried. The Council then considered the resolution appointing representatives to various City boards and commissions as well as City officials, Resolution No , A RESOLUTION APPOINTING CITY OFFICIALS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO VARIOUS CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND DESIGNATING THE OFFICIAL DEPOSITORIES FOR THE CITY OF HUMBOLDT AND SPECIFYING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWANCE DEPOSITS. Council Member Entgelmeier asked to be removed as the Council representative to the Co- City Bus board due to a conflict of interest. Mayor Samuels then filled the position with Council Member Jorgensen. Motion by Entgelmeier, Second by Jensen to approve Resolution No with the exception of the appointment of Jon Reed as Police Chief. The Council then discussed the appointment of Reed as Police Chief. After the discussion, Jensen withdrew his Second. The Mayor called for a second three times. The motion died for a lack of a second. Motion by Jensen, Second by Entgelmeier to approve Resolution No and hold the appointment of Jon Reed as Police Chief out for discussion. Roll Call Vote: Ayes Jorgensen, Sleiter, Jensen, Rusher and Entgelmeier. Motion carried. Mayor Samuels then stated he was appointing Jon Reed as Police Chief and asked for approval of his appointment as usual. Council Member Jorgensen stated he would like for Jon Reed to be appointed as Police Chief and put on probation for a designated amount of time with specific goals to achieve during that time. If the goals were not met, he would then recommend Reed be dismissed from his position. Mayor Samuels voiced his concern over the Council members discussing the appointment with each other and no one discussing it with him. Council Member Entgelmeier stated he had brought up Reed s appointment several times at former Council meetings when Reed s performance was evaluated. 3

4 Mayor Samuels then asked for reasons why Reed should not be appointed. Council Member Jensen stated that all of the Council Members had discussed the appointment with the City Administrator. Jensen stated that he did not feel it was his job to discuss the appointment with the Mayor. Jensen stated he would like to see a shortened appointment with one-month, three-month and six-month goals established for Reed as recommended by Jorgensen. Council Member Sleiter stated he could not justify terminating Reed at this point in time but was agreeable to the recommendation from Jorgensen. He stated that the City needs to have good reasons to terminate an employee. The City Administrator stated that the City Code does not stipulate the length of the appointment of the Police Chief. After conferring with the City Attorney, he found that the Council could shorten the length of the appointment from the standard 2-year term. Mayor Samuels again stated that he did not know the specifics of what the Council would like to have done as goals and questioned why the Council Members did not discuss this appointment with him prior to the meeting. He stated that all allegations against the Police Chief were examined and investigated and found to be in favor of the Police Department. If there were deficiencies found, they have been addressed. Elaine Mason, Scott Mason and Ed Allen all spoke in favor of Reed s re-appointment. Mayor Samuels then recommended making the appointment of Jon Reed as Police Chief for one year. He asked the Council to give him specific goals and deadlines for the Police Chief no later than two weeks from today. Council Member Jensen stated he felt one year was too long and suggested a four-month appointment. Motion by Jorgensen, Second by Jensen to appoint Jon Reed as Police Chief for a six-month term. Roll Call Vote: Ayes Jorgensen, Sleiter, Jensen, Rusher and Entgelmeier. Motion by Entgelmeier, Second by Sleiter to approve the following proposed Resolution No : A RESOLUTION APPOINTING THE MEMBERS OF THE POOL STUDY COMMITTEE. Roll Call Vote: Ayes Jensen, Sleiter, Jorgensen, Entgelmeier and Rusher. Motion carried. Motion by Jensen, Second by Rusher to approve the following proposed Resolution No : A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE CONTRACT WITH SNYDER & ASSOCIATES OF ANKENY, IOWA FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE HUMBOLDT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT ROTATING BEACON PROJECT. Roll Call Vote: Ayes Entgelmeier, Rusher, Jensen, Sleiter and Jorgensen. Motion carried. 4

5 Motion by Jorgensen, Second by Rusher to approve the following proposed Resolution No : A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN THE CONTRACT WITH SNYDER & ASSOCIATES OF ANKENY, IOWA FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE HUMBOLDT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT FUEL FACILITY PROJECT. Roll Call Vote: Ayes Entgelmeier, Rusher, Jensen, Sleiter and Jorgensen. Motion carried. Other items discussed: Jorgensen Noted that the Police Chief and Fire Chief are the City s representatives on the EMS committee for Humboldt County which has been allocated a total of $159,700. He also reviewed the items that have been purchased to date with those funds. City Clerk Reminded the Council that if they were interested in attending the Iowa League of Cities Legislative Day to let her know. Also stated that the City would be collecting Christmas trees through January. All bags, stands and wire must be removed prior to collection. Motion by Entgelmeier, Second by Jensen to schedule Monday, January 19, 2004 at 5:30 PM as the date and time for the next regular meeting of the Council and to adjourn this session at 7:59 PM. (5) ayes, motion carried. Steven N. Samuels, Mayor Attest: Lorie L. Bennett, City Clerk 5